A Hero's Bargain (6 page)

His mouthcame down on hers with bruising force. She pushed against him but he was toostrong. His tongue swept over her lips and suddenly, escaping him wasn’timportant. Deep in her belly her womb contracted. Need, hot and sweet, throbbedwith each beat of her racing heart.

His kissgentled, coaxing her now with a soft plea to answer him. Her arms slid aroundhis neck. Her lips opened. There was a low rumble in his chest as his armstightened around her. Awareness of her surroundings faded. All she knew was hislips moving on hers and his warm hand slowly caressing her back. She was caughtin the spell he wove, floating in some dark place where her body spoke to herof aching loneliness and whispered its hope of fulfillment.

Softly,ever so softly, the kiss ended. His lips left hers, lingering a hairsbreadthaway. His hands slid to her hips, grasping them with strong fingers and pullingher to him. The hard ridge of his manhood greeted her. She looked into hiseyes, gone black with desire.

Ryder’sspine burned from his tailbone to the base of his skull. It wasn’t the searingfire of previous hours. It was almost bearable. The ache in his groin was morethan bearable. He embraced it and would have welcomed more. Every molecule inhis body screamed at him to lay his angel down and take her. But he’d have towait. He wouldn’t feel like much of a man if he couldn’t finish what he startedright now. Hard as a rock or not, he wasn’t sure about it lasting.

He triednot to listen to the voice in his head yelling at him, asking him what if henever had another hard-on. This had to be a good sign the toxin was working outof his system. Surely.

Sleep,and whatever that soup was she fed him had him feeling restored. Even at thathe was smart enough to know the restoration might not be genuine. It could justbe that his blood sugar was up a little bit and that’s what made him feel likehe could take on the world. An hour from now he might well be a shaking, quiveringmass of jelly once again.

Hestopped speculating and turned his attention back to the woman trembling in hisarms. She licked her lips. He sucked in a quick breath and kissed her again.Her lips opened under his, more than accepting, but far from bold. His cockthrobbed. He could have wept for joy.

He pulledback from her and her eyelids popped open.

“Will youhave me now?” She swallowed, hard. Her uncertainty was evident. The unwelcomenotion that she was a virgin formed behind his eyes. His penis clearly wasn’tconcerned about such mundane matters.

Hecaressed her cheek gently with his knuckles. “I don’t think I’m quite up to it,angel. No pun intended.”

Shethought about that for a moment. The corner of her mouth twitched. Her chinlifted. “I am pleased for you, Ryder, that you seem to be recovering.”

“Yeah? IfI let go of you, are you going to run to Tyree?”

She shookher head. “We made a deal.”

“Did we?”He searched her face. Her cheeks pinked. Realization dawned.

Well, hell’s bells.Adeal indeed. She simply wanted him.

“Angel,you can have me, deal or not. Just say so. I’ll make a deal with Tyree for myweapons and leave you out of it.”

“Tyreewill not make deals with you. If pushed, he will simply take your weapons andfigure them out for himself.”

Ryderlaughed softly. He knew she was telling the truth. What he wasn’t about to tellher or anyone else was his weapons were secure activated to his DNA. Thesepeople probably hadn’t ever heard of such a thing.

“Tyreecan examine them all he likes. I won’t mind.” He ran his hands down her back tocup her bottom. He squeezed. Lord, she was perfect in his hands.

“Stopthat!” She tried to back away from him. He grinned and pulled her back to him.Her lips thinned into an annoyed narrow line. He released her, holding hishands up in the air. He sighed.

She maywant him, but she didn’t understand all the byplay between the sexes.

“Angel, Ihate to be a pest, but I need…” He pointed at the back door. She looked at thedoor, nodded, and was out the front before he could grab her, calling forTyree.

Wonderful. Just fucking wonderful. It would be time to playTwenty Questions. Maybe more.

Tyreeshowed up promptly, without Saba, ready to lend a hand—and ask his questions.At least he waited until Ryder was settled in the chair by the fire.

Tyree’slook darkened, but remained virtually unreadable. He’d be good at cards.

“Do notseek to play word games with me. I give this warning and I do not couch it inriddles. Deal openly and fairly with us and we’ll deal openly and fairly withyou.”

Mightas well test some of those limits right now, Ryder, old boy.

He metTyree’s gaze, eye for eye. “Is this where you want me to bow and thank you forsaving my life?”

“Youshould thank Saba, and only Saba. I would have left you to die where you lay.”

“Becauseof thiserrol?”

Tyreelooked surprised, but not unpleased. “You remember? Saba wasn’t sure youwould.” He glanced at the door. “Truth, Ryder Vaughan. You were injured beforeyour vessel crashed here, were you not?”

Rydernodded. “A very untrustworthy person may have tried to poison me. He certainlytried to kill me.” There was a thump outside the door.

Ryderlooked at Tyree, raising an eyebrow in silent question. Tyree shrugged androse, going to the door on silent feet. He opened the door. Saba was justoutside. He shook his head and motioned for her to come in. She reminded Ryderof a child caught red-handed with a fistful of candy. Tyree turned to her,hands on his hips.

“Sinceyou would hear this conversation, perhaps you would unearth some of the wineyou keep hidden under the floor?”

Hercheeks pinked again. Gods, she was cute when she blushed. Ryder grinned at her.

Shelifted a rug, pulled up a board and reached down. Tyree tried to look aroundher but she quickly let the board fall back into place.

So. Tyreewasn’t privy to everything about Saba and maybe, just maybe, she wanted to keepit that way.

Shedusted off the bottle and carefully broke the seal before getting three tinyceramic cylinders off her shelf. She poured one full for Tyree and handed it tohim. Ryder received his with a warning.

“Sip itslowly. It would not be good if it doesn’t sit well in your belly.”

Rydersnorted. “You mean you don’t want to know what I was doing in the company ofsuch an untrustworthy person?”

“I warnedyou I would not play word games with you. I can only believe you are accustomedto be in the company of such.”

Ryderlifted his wine, saluting Tyree. “Sometimes. Did you find a gold coin in whatwas left of my clothes?”

Tyreereached into his vest pocket and flipped the coin to him in one smooth motion.Ryder caught it deftly. He ran his thumb over the embossing.

Damn. Damn. Damn.Thecoin was Xenturan and worth a small fortune.

For allthe good it would do him on Adena.

“Thankyou. It’s supposed to be my good luck piece.”

It wasTyree’s turn to snort. “You need a better one, my friend.” He sipped his wine.“Let us get to the point. Have you weapons?”

“Handweapons only, for self-defense. Nothing you could use to start a war.”

“We donot seek to start a war. We need to kill only one very dangerous creature. Haveyou a weapon for that?”

Honestywas not always the best policy, and he had some questions of his own. Rydersipped, keeping his gaze locked with Tyree’s.

“How do Iknow you won’t murder me in my sleep if I give you what I have?”

Saba hadbeen silent, but now she jumped to her feet. “We are Ramalho! We do notmurder!”

“Saba. Weare only talking. It’s a valid question from one who does not know us.” Tyree’svoice was gentle, but Ryder heard the censure in it. So did she.

She sankback into her chair, bowing her head, putting her face in shadow.

Tyreesmiled. His lips bowed but his eyes remained cool. “We are Ramalho and we donot murder.”

Rydernodded. “That’s reassuring, I suppose. That and you’ve had ample opportunity tolet me die.” He took another sip of his wine. It was blood-red, fragrant, andfull-bodied. And very potent. His joints were loosening. He’d give Tyree moretruth than the man probably expected at this juncture, and let the villageheadman worry on the bone.

“Tyree,my weapons may not be of use to you. How big is this creature? Where is itfrom? Is its nervous system like mine? Or yours? If not, it’s very possiblesmall hand weapons will not deter it, and may anger it into attacking instead.”

Tyreerose. “You are still weak and need to heal. Word has come theerrolison the far side of its range, almost a seven-day walk from here.” He held outhis hand to Ryder, who grasped it.

“Youunderstand what we need. Think on it as you enjoy the meager hospitality wehave left to extend to you. Before theerrol, we could feed you better.”

Ryderlooked up at him. It was clear why Tyree was the headman here. The man knew thequestions he posed were simply a way to stall for time.

“I’llconsider my options, Tyree. And the hospitality of the Ramalho is exemplary.Far better than I’m used to.”

Tyreenodded and walked out, closing the door. Saba raised her head and glared atRyder.

“Do nottoy with him.”

“I’m not,angel. I’m really not. Tyree and I are coming to an understanding.” He finishedhis wine and held the little cylinder out. “May I have a bit more?”

“It willmake you sleep, and I do not understand the ways of men.”

“I’msure,” he said dryly. If he went to sleep maybe he’d forget about trying to gether naked. Maybe.

Maybehe’d dream of taking her. That would be fine. She sat quietly, watching himwith those beautiful dark eyes that would haunt his sleep.

Shelooked at the closed door, licking her lips. The color came back into hercheeks. “What of our deal?”

The joltof carnal desperation that shot through his belly about undid him. Sweat brokeout on his back. He started to swell.

“I planto collect.”

Her gazeflicked to his, then quickly away, but not before he saw her fear—and herlonging. His groin tightened again and his erection completed. Thank the gods.

“Justgive me another shot of that wine and then go about your business so I can takeanother nap. Can you do that?”

Shestared at the embers in the hearth for several long moments and then shereached for the wine bottle and handed it to him.

“You mayhave as much as you like. I won’t trouble you over it. Sleep is the best thingfor you right now. Tyree has agreed that I can go outside to gather plants. Iftheerrolis days away, I can go now without fear and without escort.”

His angeloutside the protection of the walls alone? His skin prickled.

“Takesomeone with you, Saba. Take me with you.”

“You? Youcannot walk yet! Don’t be foolish, Ryder.”

“Thatgoes for you, too. Don’t be foolish and go alone,” he shot back at her. Herose, cautiously straightening his back. She rushed to his side.

“What areyou doing?” Her hands fluttered around him. He kept a firm hold on his blanket,keeping it wrapped around him and bunched up in the front to hide a few things.

“I’mgoing over there to get in that bed. It’s yours, isn’t it?”

Her mouthdropped open then snapped shut. He grinned at her.

“You’llwant me to be there later, angel. Admit it.”

Shesquared her shoulders and glared up at him. “We made a deal. I will honor it.”

“Honor.”He shook his head sadly. “Angel, you shouldn’t make deals with people who haveno honor, and I’m one of them.” He took a tentative step. Then another.

He movedalong rather easily, and he prayed it stayed that way. If it did, he’d be backto normal in a day or two. He plopped down on the edge of the bed.

“I’dreally like to acquire a pair of trousers, angel. I can’t run around thevillage without them, can I?”

She puther hands on her hips. “You are…you are…”

“What?Annoying? I know.” He grinned at her then crooked his finger at her. “Comehere.”

Shebacked away, shaking her head. “No. I have things I must do while it’sdaylight. You should rest. Take the bed. I’ll sleep on the pallet.”

“Rememberour little deal, angel.” He let the blanket slip just a hair. Her eyes flickeddown to his groin. She licked her lips. His cock twitched. He could have howledwith glee at the response.

She’dtake the pallet his ass. Who was she trying to fool? Her curiosity about thestranger in her care consumed her.

Rydertossed the blanket over the foot of her bed and let her get a good look at himas he worked his way beneath the covers. The bed was longer and softer than thepallet, and he stretched out. It was heavenly to suddenly be comfortable—andfree of pain. Ryder tucked the covers around his hips before he looked at her.She watched him, stared at him, actually. He met her gaze.